BP Geo History: Bishkek

November 2022. Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Its history goes back to 1825 when a fortress named Pishpek was established. In 1868 a Russian settlement was founded on the site. It grew into a city and was renamed Frunze in 1926 after Bolshevik military leader Mikhail Frunze. In 1936 it became the capital of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic. After the end of the Soviet Union and independence of Kyrgyzstan in 1991 the city was given its current name Bishkek